Apparatus for holding citrus fruit



May l5, 1951 R, FOLK, SR., Erm. 2,552,733

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING CITRUS FRUIT milled Dec. 2o, 1948 s sheets-snee: 1

May 15, 1951 R. PoLK, SR., ETAL 2,552,733

` APPARATUS FOR HOLDING CITRUS FRUIT Filed Dec. 20, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 nl la@ Enxzim-- i@ 1NVENToR. RALPH FbL/c 55e. Y i By FQLPH @uc de,

JT v Y /4 Z Y c /f l Z7 Hrg/snr May 15, 1951V R. PoLK, sn., r-:TAL 2,552,733

APPARATUS FoR HOLDING cI'rRus FRUIT Filed Dec. 2o. 1948 3 sheets-sheet 31 E 1:12a-, E.'

INVENTORS RALPH Pam JE.

BY l

ATTQRNEYs Phu, Pour 5k.

Patented May 15, l1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR. HOLDING CITRUS FRUIT Ralph Polk, Sr., and Ralph Polk, Jr., Tampa, Fla., assignors to Polk Development Company, Tampa, Fla., a co-partnership of Florida 7 Claims.

This invention relates to the handling of citrus fruit and more particularly to a method and apparatus for supporting and holding the center structure of citrus fruit for the purpose of sectionizing the fruit.

Sectionizing in the citrus fruit industry is dividing the meat of the fruit into its membrane free, substantially whole natural sections and is carried out by iirst removing the peel and the portion of the membrane wall lying adjacent thereto, and then severing the `bond between the meat and the radial portions of the membrane. During this latter operation the fruit is held on a spindle which usually comprises a circular series of parallel tines on which the fruit is impaled polarwise close to the core of the fruit.

We have developed machinery for mechanically sectionizing the fruit in which the peeled fruit is rst impaled on a holding fork, such as disclosed in our Patent 2,199,345, the circular series of its tines being inserted into apices of the radial segment Walls. Blades are then inserted polarwise through the segments just radially outside the series of holding tines. These knives are moved radially outward from the core and closely adjacent one radia1 membrane .wall which severs the meat of the segments from this wall but leaves it still attached and supported by the other radial wall. Next, a circular series of wiper prongs carried on a rotatable spindle are inserted polarwise through the fruit concentric with and just outside the series of holding tines. This series of prongs is then rotated relatively to the tines which has the effect of wrapping the radial membranes, which are held by the tines, about the circular series of tines and stripping the segment meats from the attached radial membranes.

During the slitting and particularly during the above mentioned stripping operations, the radial membrance structure of the fruit is subjected to substantial tensioning stresses away from the core of the fruit which, unless countered or restrained by the tines of the holding fork, results in a tearing apart of the core and failure to free the section meats from the membrane.

It is evident that a holding fork with a suilicient number of tines for one to be positioned in the apex of each section of the fruit would eliminate the above diiiiculty. However, the insertion of a sufcient number of holding tines of sufficient size to withstand bending stresses imposed on them and in a suniciently small circle to occupy the apex regions of the fruit sections has heretofore been difficult to accomplish. Citrus Application December 20, 1948, Serial No. 66,188

inserted, larger number of tines.

2 pulp offers considerable resistance to penetration tothe tines of a holding yfork which increases with the diameter of the tine and is multiplied by the number of tines in the holding fork. Since the number of sections of oranges and grapefruit varies from around nine to fteen, it can be readily seen that the resistance to penetration of a fork having suiicient tines to penetrate each of the maximum number of sections, particularly if the tines were of large enough diameter to withstand substantial bending when encountering seed or during subsequent sectionizing operations, would be great enough to result in a crushing of the fruit if simultaneous insertion of all the tines were attempted.

We have heretofore attempted to provide a holding fork structure having suicient tines for at least one to each fruit section in the form of an auxiliary fork in which the tines were arranged in a circle and inserted in the fruit in a region lying outside a smaller series of a few Vtines rst inserted in the fruit to align and support the core and aid in the insertion of the later While this arrangement was satisfactory for some fruit, the stripping or wiping prongs lying outside two concentric circles of holding tines resulted in appreciable mutilation of juice bearing pulp in young core, and it will be appreciated that the closer to Y the core the holding fork tines are inserted, the greater the Vpossibility for one tine to penetrate each section rather than one section to be penetrated by two tines and the adjacent section by none. It is also important in a holding fork that the tines be relatively stiff to withstand bending stresses imposed when their entering ends encounter seed and membrane tension, yet their diameter should not be increased to a size which would make insertion Y dinicult. In this latter regard it has been found convenient and advantageous to insert the tines in two series, one subsequently to the other, the first insertedV series axially aligning and holding the fruit in axial alignment with the' second series. The bending moment of the tines also ldecreases with its length tionizing the same which comprises a primary and a secondary series of paralleltinesin.coaxially aligned circles of equal diameters, adapted'for opposed insertion in a fruit, thetotalfnumberiof tines in the two series being at 'least equal vtofthe maximum number of fruit sectionsfandfthefnum.- ber being divided between the two series.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holding fork of the above character in which inserted tines of one `series interdigitate with ,tinesof theother series `and are equally spaced ecircunrif,erentially with .respect thereto.

Another vobjectof .the invention is `to provide .a .hclding fork `of .the ,above character in which ,the tines of loneseriesareof asmaller diameter .than .thetines of-the'other series.

. Afurtherobject of :the invention is `to provide a holding .fork of 4the above character in -which -,th e primary series fcomprises fone-half :the num- Aloer of tines sufficient 4to penetrate all -sectionsiof .a .maximum sectioned fruit and `of sufficient ,length l to .penetrate substantially into ya, fruit'and tthe remaining half vof the tines in .the primary series .being niegsrually spaced .circumferentially between first mentioned half and yof a length to penetrate only to )the Vseed Aregion of the fruit, and `the .tines-of the A,secondary series 'being `respectiysely aligned faxiallywwith ,the shorter :tines of the ,iirstseries and also `of -a Vlength to lpene- .trataonlyto .the seed region of the fruit.

To accomplish the above `objects and advantages and `others which will become :more ap- .,parent .during the course of the following `description, the .invention-consists in the parts and ,combinations thereof hereinafter -set forth with ,the understanding that various changes :may b e Jmade. therein those skilled in the art such ,l the size, shape, and arrangement of parts or by the substitution of equivalents without' de.- 1parting from the .f spirit vof the invention or exrcefeeling the YScope y0f the appended claims..

,In ,order to make the invention more clearly V.unde rstood preferred embodiments thereof have heen Vvmade the subject .of illustration in the .acicoxnpanying drawings in which:

Fig-ure 1 -is ,a vertical longitudinal sectional ,view ,partly rin elevation partly broken away f preferred embodiment v.of holding fork struc. ture in accordance with rthe invention;

Figure 2 yis a cross sectional vview taken along `,the line 2-2 of lFigure 1v looking in 'the :direction .of the arrows;

VFigure 3 isa cross sectional ,view taken along the line 3-.-;3l of Figure 1 looking in the direction .of the arrows;

Figure '4 `.is a vertical longitudinal sectional View partly in elevation partly broken away of .a modified form of holding fork structure according to the invention;

Figure :5 is a .cross sectional -view taken along -the lineV 5;.-55 of Figure `4.

' Figure .6 is an elevational view of the holding "ltork structure ,with means for producing axial `mov.,ement of elements of the fork.

' The-fruit holding .apparatus shown in Figures Yin Yany well-known. manner.

4 t 1 to 3 comprises a primary holding fork l and a secondary or auxiliary holding fork 2. The fork I consists of a head 3 at the upper end of a vertical, non-rotating rod 4 which may be mounted in a sectionizing machine for movement from one station to another station thereof and also for vertical reciprocating movement at the stations For example, the non-rotating rod 4 may be slidably 4mounted for vertical movement in a stationary arm 23. A

`compressed spring 24 bears against the lower surface Nof the arm .23 and a collar 25 near the 'lower end of rod i to urge the rod 4 downwardly. A 10am follower Y126 von the lower end of rod 4 travelsonfa cam .-Z'l which is keyed to a rotating shaftzz Rotation of the shaft 28 will produce .the `desired vreciprocating movement of primary holding fork I.

:Rig-idly secured in the head 3 and extending upwardly therefrom is a circular series of equally spaced parallel .tines 5 of a length ,-suicient to penetrate 'substantially into the fruit (at :least beyond the lcenter of a fruit of average size). Positioned Vequidistantly vbetween lthe .tines 5 and arranged in the same circle therewith is a series :of tines :5 which are likewise rigidly secu-red in the -head 3 and extend upwardly vparallel with :the ftines 5. The tines 6, however, are shorter thanvthe tines, having ,lengths to penetrate the *fruit approximately only Ato the seed bearing re- :gion'of the fruit sections.

The combined number of tines 5 and '6 is at least equal =to the maximum number of sections ifoundin citrusfruit. As stated above the num- ?ber of sections in grapefruit vary-between nine and fifteen. In the embodiment illustrated, whichmay be considered a holding fork for sectionizing grapefruit, there is provided a total of sixteen tines, one-half this number consisting of fthe longer tines 5 and the other half consisting lof the shorter tines 6 which, as stated, alternate in the circle with the tines 5. The diameter of 'the series of tines is preferably such as to penetrate into the fruit sections as closely as practicable to the core vof the fruit. The core diameter varies with the .maturity of the fruit, but seldom exceeds about one inch in usable fruit. vWe have found, therefore, that sixteen tines arrangedinacircle .of approximately 11A; inches in diameter, at least one tine will penetrate each of the .fruit sections Vclosely within the apex of the .radial membrane walls thereof.

The auxiliary holding fork 2 is spaced above the fork l and comprises a stationary 'vertical rod l, Ythe llower end of which terminates in a head 3. :Rigidly secured in the head 8 vis a circular series of depending parallel tines 9, equal lin number ttol the tines and respectively in axial alignment with the tines 5. The tines 9 are approximately 'the same length Yas the tines E, that is, .only long enough to penetrate substantially to the seed bearing region of the fruit sections.

Preferably, the longer tines 5 should be large enough in'diameter to Asubstantially withstand bending stresses imposed on them, yet small enough not to require excessive force to insert the series into the fruit. A 5% inch diameter for these tines has been found satisfactory. The

Ashorter tines 6 and 9, however, because of their shorter level` arms and because they do not er1- .counter seed when inserted, can Vbe of smaller diameter, for example 1A; inch or smaller. All of the tines are preferably pointed such as 'by bevelingvtheir .free or entering ends as 'indicated al, Il?, or forming the ends conical as indicated a The holding fork above described is preferably combined with a relatively rotatable series of stripping prongs I2 for wrapping the membrane lstructure about the holding fork and stripping the section meats free from the membrane as disclosed in our Patent No. 2,240,909, granted May 6, 1941. These stripping prongs are relatively stii p-ins of suflicient length to penetrate through the fruit and are set in a depending circular series, somewhat larger in diameter than the holding tines, in an enlarged end I3 of a hollow shaft I4 which may be mounted on the rod 'I for both axial and rotary movement relatively thereto. The shaft I4 is externally splined longitudinally and carries an internally splined bevel gear I5 through which the shaft may slide.

The gear I5 is suitably supported against axial movement such as in a stationary bracket I6, and is adapted to be driven by a pinion from a source of power to rotate the shaft I4 and series of prongs I2. Suitable means, not shown, are also provided for imparting axial movement of the shaft I4 to lower and raise the prongs with respect to the holding fork. In the drawings conventional means for producing the desired axial movement of shaft I4 are illustrated, and consist of a connecting rod 29 which reciprocates ineu vertical direction to move the shaft I4 and series of prongs I 2 mounted therein vertically.

In operation a whole fruit such as a grapefruit is peeled and its albedo and circumferential membrane is removed in usual manner such as by immersing in a hot alkali solution. It is then each section. This operation may be performedy by a circular series of knives, such as disclosed in our Patent No. 2,246,869 of January 24, 19,41, which axially penetrate the fruit sections just outside the series of holding tines and are then moved radially outwardly along the section Wall.

After this slitting operation the primary fork, with the fruit still thereon and the section meats still joined to one membrane wall, is moved under and in axial alignment with the auxiliary fork 2. The fork I is now raised toward the fork 2 and the shorter tines 6 and 9 are forced into the fruit, the tines 9 being axially aligned respectively with the tines and interdigitated with the longer tines 5. It is to be noted that the fruit is impaled on the holding forks in two stages, first on only half of the tines, the longer tines 5, which requires a substantially low pressure and does not materially squeeze the fruit, and secondly on the remaining tines 6 and 9. It is to be noted also, in this final stage, the tines 5 have penetrated past the seed area and the pressure fory inserting the tines 6 and 9 is divided between them. Or stated another Way, the pressure of one series of the shorter tines is yieldingly opposed by that of the other series. As a result the fruit is impaled in each of its sections with substantially low pressures and little rupture of the juice sacs. The shorter tines, it will be recalled, penetrate only to the seed region of the section and their ends are axially spaced with the seed lying between them as seen in Figure l.

After impalin'g the fruit by both the primary and auxiliary forks, the series of stripping prongs I2 are `lowered through the fruit and rotated `about the stationary tines. These prongs Wrap 6 the radial membrane structure about the holding series of tines and strip the still bonded membrane Wall from the section meats: which then fall free. This stripping action imposes a substantial tension on the membrane structure,`

but since there is either one of the tines` 5 or a pair of the tines 6 and 9 closely in the apex of each section wall, movement of the Whole mem,- brane structure relative to the stationary tines is adequately restrained so that the stripping is efficiently accomplished and the meats cleanly freed from the membrane.

In previous holding forks employing sufcient tines in a circle to penetrate each section, the tines have had to be relatively small to force them through the fruit and considerable bending and breakage at the supporting head has resulted, particularly under the tensioning force imposed on them in the stripping operation. In the present apparatus, however, the longer tines 4 are of sufficient diameter to withstand this force and the tines 5 and 9, while small in diameter, are relatively short and likewise withstand the imposed stresses.

The form of holding fork shown in Figures 4 and 5 is somewhat simpler in construction and is particularly adaptable to seedless varieties of fruit. I-Iere the primary fork, designated IA, consists of a head I1 at the upper end of a vertical rod I8 which is similar to the head 3 and rod i above. Rigidly secured in the head I'I and extending upwardly therefrom is a circular series of eight equally spaced parallel tines I9 of a length suicient to penetrate approximately through a fruit of average size.

Above and coaxially aligned with the primary fork IA is a secondary or auxiliary fork 2A which comprises a stationary vertical rod 29, the lower end of which terminates in a head 2-I. Rigidly secured in the head 2I is a series of eight depending tines 22 arranged in a circle of the same diameter as the series of tines I9 and coaxial. therewith. The tines 22 are of substantially the same length as the tines I9, and the relative positions of the heads I1 and 2| are such that the :axes of the tines 22 are equally spaced between the axes of the tines I9. The free or entering ends: of the tines I9 and 22 are pointed. In this case also the tines 22 may be slightly smaller in diameter than the tines I 9. For example, the tines I9 may be 5/32 inch diameter and the tines 22 1/8 inch diameter, Since the tines I9 are inserted first in the fruit alone and `serve as a support during the initial slitting operation and during the later insertion of the tines 22, their relatively large diameter supplies adequate rigidity for the purpose. The smaller diameter of the tines 22 has the advantage of easier insertion and to increase slightly the circumferential interdigitating spacing with the tines I9. When in interdigitating combination with the tines I9, however, the smaller diameter supplies adequate restraint to the membrance structure of the fruit in the stripping operation.

The structure shown in Figures 4 and 5 operates and functions in the same manner as that shown in Figures 1 to 3 and described above except that both series of tines penetrate substantially through the fruit in interdigitating relation.

While in the above the primary forks I and IA have been described as moving relatively to the auxiliary forks 2 and 2A, it will be obvious that the primary forks may be stationary and the auxiliary forks moved with respect thereto or,u

`thefruit may be positionedbetween the two forks and both moved simultaneously.

, :Fromthe foregoing it will be seen that we have provided a holding fork vmechanism for support- -ing citrus fruit to sectionize the same in which at leastone tine is provided for each fruit section,

in'which all tines are arranged in the same circle substantially close to the core of the fruit, and in which the insertion of such a substantial number of tines is made possible without pro- '.hibitive destruction of the fruit by equally dividing the total number of tines into two inter- -digitating series. We claim:

1.'In apparatus Vfor sectionizing citrus fruit,

ineans for supporting the core of the fruit comprising a first series of parallel tines equally .spaced circumferentially in a circle for insertion `-polarwis'e into sections of the fruit closely surrounding the core thereof, alternate tines of the said series being of a length sufficient to pene- 'trate approximately through the fruit and the remainder of vthe tines of said series being Yof a length that when fully inserted will penetrate short-of the axial Vboundary of the seed bearing "region 'of the fruit, a second Yseries of vparallel tines `corresponding in number with said shorter tines vand respectively alig-ned coaxially therewith, and `means for axially moving one series l-relatively tothe other series to insert the two Yseries of 'tines inthe fruit with the tines of the second series in interdigitating relationship to 'the tines-of Ythe rst series Vand in axially opposed relationship to th'e shorter tines `of the first series, the tines -of the second series Valso being of, a length that when fully inserted in the fruit they Vwill penetrate short of the axial boundary of said seed bearing region.

2. VIn apparatus for sectionizing Vcitrus fruit, "means for supporting the core of the fruit comprising a rst series of parallel tines equally spaced -circumferentially in a circle for insertion pelarwis'e into sections of the fruit closely surrounding the core thereof, alternate tines of the Vsaid series being of a -length sufficient to penetrate substantially into the fruit and the reymainder of the tines of said series being of a shorter length, a second series of parallel tines vcorresponding in number with said shorter tines and respectively aligned coaxially therewith,

and means for axially moving one series relative- -ly 'tothe other series to insert the two series of tines in the fruit with 'the tines of the second 'series in interdigitating relationship to the longer tines of the first series and in'axially opposed relationship to the shorter ltines of the first series, said shorter tines and the tines of the vsecond series having lengths so that when fully inserted in the `fruit they will penetrate only to the axial boundaries of the seed bearing regions "of the fruit, and said shorter tines being of `smaller diameter than 'the longer tines.

73. In apparatus for sectionizing citrus fruit, means for supporting the core of the fruit comprising a first series of parallel tines equally spaced circumferential-ly in a circle for insertion p'olarwise into sections of the fruit closely surrounding the core thereof, alternate tines of the `said series being of a length suicient to penetrate substantially into the fruit and the reinaind'er vof the vtines of said series being of a shorter length, a second series of parallel tines corresponding in number vwith said shorter tines and v'respectively aligned eo'axially therewith, and means-*fer axially'lmovingfone series relatively t'o the other series `to insert `the two ser-iesof tines `least one tine to penetrate each section of the fruit. l

4. In apparatus for sectionizing citrus fruit, means for supporting the core of the fruit comprising a first series of parallel tines equally spaced circumferentially lin'a circle for insertion .polarwise into sections of the fruit'closely surrounding the core thereof, alternate 'tinesfof the said series being of a :length suiiicient to penetrate substantially into the fruit and theremainder of the tines of said series being lof 1a shorter length, a second series of parallel tines corresponding in number with said shorter tines and respectively Valigned coaxially therewith, 'and means for axially moving one series relatively to the other-series to insert the two series of tines in the fruit with the tines of the second series in interdigitating relationship to the tines of the i'lrst series and in axially opposed relationship to the shorter tines of the first series, the length of the shorter tines of the iirst series and the tines of the second series being such that when inserted fully in the Yfruit they will penetrate Ionly to the axial boundaries of the seed bearing regions of the fruit sections.

5. In Aapparatus for sectionizing citrus fruit, means for supporting the core of the fruit comprising a rstseries of parallel tines equally .spaced circumferentially in a circle for insertion polarwise into sections of the fruit closely surrounding the core thereof, said tines being of Ya length sumcient to penetrate approximately through the fruit, a second series of parallel tines in coaxial alignment with the fruit series and equally spaced circumferentially in a circle of the same diameter as the first series, the tines of the second series being staggered with respect to vthe tines of the first series and also of a length ysufficient to penetrate approximately through the fruit, and means for axially moving one series relatively to the other series to insert the two series of tines in interdigitating relationship in the fruit.

6. In apparatus for sectionizing citrus fruit, means for supporting the core of the fruit comprising a first series of parallel tines equally spaced circumferentially in a circle for insertion polarwise into sections of the fruit closely surrounding the core thereof, said tines being Yof'a length sufcient to penetrate approximately through the fruit, an axially opposed second series of parallel tines in coaxial'alignment with the first series and equally spaced circumferentially in a circle of the same diameter as the first series, the tines of the second series being staggered with respect to the tines of the first series and also 'of a length sufficient to penetrate approximately through the fruit, and means for axially moving one series relatively to the other series to 'insert the two series of tines in interdigitating relationship in the fruit from opposite poles thereof.

7. In apparatus for sectionizing citrus fruit, means for supportnig the core of the fruit comprising a rst series of parallel tines equally spaced circumferentially in a circle for insertion polarwiseinto sections of the fruit closely surrounding the core thereof, said tines being 'of a length suincient to penetrate approximately through the fruit, a second series of parallel tines in coaxial alignment with the first series and equally spaced circumferentially in a circle of the same diameter as the rst series, the tines of the second series being staggered with respect to the tines of the first series and also of a length sufl`1- cient to penetrate approximately through the fruit, and means for axially moving one series relatively to the other series to insert the two series of tines in interdigitating relationship in the fruit, the total number of tines being equally divided between the two lseries and said total number being suilicient when interdigitated for at least one tine to penetrate each section of the fruit.

RALPH POLK, SR.

RALPH POLK, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number` Name Date 1,220,970 Frohmann Mar. 27, 1917 1,257,587 Demuth Feb. 26, 1918 2,089,503 Polk, Jr Aug. 10, 1937 2,240,909 Polk, Sr., et al May 6, 1941 2,300,311 Polk, Sr., et al Oct. 2T, 1942 2,403,516 Gaddini July 9, 1946 

